First Impressions
by Elias Pedro
Summary: Satoshi Tainaka and Jun Suzuki have never been on very friendly terms. He loathed her and she loathed him, or at least that was what they thought was the case. That fateful summer, things between them would start to change- but will it be for the better?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Notes:** Hello all, and thank you for taking a look at my new story. This story will have little to do with the Full Court Press! trilogy, but will have some elements of it present. Don't mind it too much though, this is a stand alone story and I will write it as such! FCP! will be finished soon, but I decided to write a recreational series for you guys and for myself. Taking a break from your main fic does wonders in the long run, I guess. Anyways, I digress. Thank you once again and I hope you enjoy this story! Oh, and be sure to tell me what you think!

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><p><strong>First Impressions<strong>

**Chapter 1**

My sister Ritsu told me once that whenever somebody thinks about something a whole lot, it means that that thing or that person is important or holds a special place in that person's mind. The examples she used that day were things like performing in the Budokan or a certain someone you liked and a lot of other things I can't really recall right now. However, there was a certain category of things that Ritsu must have overlooked when coming up with that theory of hers – pains in the ass. Problems like upcoming exams or threats from an infamous criminal organization or people who you don't like… or people who simply don't like you back.

Ritsu had been too confident about her theory when she said it, so I didn't point out that gaping hole in her proposal off the bat. Thus, I let her bask in her 'revelation' for a day or so. When I did decide to pop her bubble, her ensuing frustration was only rivaled by her intrigue.

"Would it be…" My sister hummed as she looked at me in the eye, "Would it be that there's somebody 'special' in your mind?"

If somebody special meant somebody you would avoid on the street, ignore during meeting or outright hate, then yes, there was somebody special in my mind. Her name was Jun Suzuki, the younger sister of my best friend Francis. My first meeting with the girl in question ended on a bad note for reasons I still find silly today. Let's just say that I had unintentionally stepped on her toes and she replied with stepping on mine. We had been stomping at each other's feet ever since then – yeah, that sounds about right.

Though she is the younger sister of my best friend and attends the same school as my sister, we don't see each other a lot. Whenever I go to my friend Francis' house, I make sure that his sister isn't at home. Also, she and my sister are a school year apart, so my sister would probably never invite her over to our house or anything. With all these precautions, our meetings are rare and our conflicts have been kept to a minimum. Come to think of it, it has been a while since I saw her. Today though, that long, pleasant period of evasion would come to an end.

It was a bright summer day in the suburban Western Osaka District when the hot sun threatened to evaporate any and every fluid its rays would come in contact with. Under orders from my sister Ritsu, I was at the convenience store to buy some ice cream and to bring it home. Somehow, I had been able to brave the scorching heat along the way and had reached the frozen foods section. Taxed by the summer heat, opening the sliding door of the ice cream freezer was like opening the door to heaven. When I closed my eyes, I really saw a glimpse of heaven. I couldn't help but savor this sensation.

Being a veteran of this store, I knew exactly where every sort of ice cream would be and where every flavor would be stacked. Peeping for a second, I found my target, a lone tub of strawberry ice cream. I trained my hand towards the ice cream tub then slowly reached out. Even though my eyes were closed, I could feel it coming closer. Soon I'll be able to feel the cool… warmth? What the…? This can't be right…

Quickly, I opened my eyes to see exactly what I had come across. It wasn't a tub of strawberry ice cream, that's for sure. It was something much less inanimate and many times less sweet. It was the hand of a certain bushy-haired brunette with whom I shared a sort of a hate-hate relationship – Jun Suzuki. I let go immediately and apologized, hoping that she wouldn't burst our angrily or do a judo throw on me or anything like that. Seeing the shocked reaction she had when she realized that I was holding her hand opened the possibility to either of those unfavorable outcomes. However…

"You were reaching out for the strawberry ice cream right?" She asked, folding her arms and pouting, "Well, go on ahead and take it!"

"Wait a second…" I replied, "Weren't you reaching for it too? You can have it; vanilla is fine with me too. Ice cream is still ice cream, Jun-chan."

Then, for some reason, her face grew red for a moment and her eyes turned away from mine. Damn it, I must have been sweating from the heat outside, huh? Well, she was a little bit sweaty too and all but… if I was sweaty, wouldn't she be laughing at me by now? Where's the usual teasing I remembered from a year ago? Seconds later, Jun too was able to notice her lack of sharp, bitter words and puffed up her face as she glared at me.

"Fine then, I'll take it!" She said in a more familiar tone, "Hmph, and it's not like letting me have this will make me think of you any better. It's just…"

Well… go on?

Rather than finish her sentence, she just took a tub and turned around, went straight to the cashier to pay then stormed out of the store without another word. Well… that ended better than I thought it would have. Shrugging, I just turned my attention to the ice cream freezer to pick up a tub of vanilla and… the strawberry ice cream tub was still there. Or rather, there was another one hiding underneath the one Jun had taken. Darn, my perception had failed me! Grumbling, I took that strawberry ice cream tub, closed the freezer door then marched towards the cashier.

A line had formed after Jun had left, so it would be a while before I got to the front. Standing there in line, I couldn't help but reflect on what had gone down just minutes ago. Seeing her blush then look away from me like that… it wasn't like her at all. It was surreal. She was pretty. What the hell am I saying? Bwwhhh… get a hold of yourself Satoshi. The summer heat is getting to you. Try as I might, though, I couldn't get her out of my head.

At that moment, Ritsu's theory came into mind. Don't tell me that that Jun… that person who has hated me since the moment we met… has a special place in my mind. Or worse… my heart. It doesn't matter… it's not like we'll see each other again. Right?

…

Meanwhile, Jun walked briskly through the heat with her grocery bag in tow. Her heart was racing as the scene from a while ago replayed in her mind. She shook her head then walked faster, hoping to get home before the ice cream she had bought melted.

She soon reached her home then went straight for the kitchen. She took out the tub of ice cream she had bought, revealing the flavor. She had bought a tub of vanilla ice cream.

"Stupid Satoshi…" she muttered, not sure of how she felt, "Saying my name like that…"

**To Be Continued**


	2. Chapter 2

**First Impressions**

**Chapter 2**

"_Fine then… It's not like letting me have this will make me think any better of you!_"

Those were the words the hotheaded bushy-haired brunette blurted out not too long ago at the frozen foods section of the nearby convenience store. It was the sort of response I would expect from her after unintentionally grabbing her hand while trying to reach for a tub of strawberry ice cream. In an attempt to spare myself from a violent backlash, I gave up my claim on the strawberry ice cream as a peace offering so those words of hers made up the bulk of her payload. Nonetheless… something felt different about her that day.

"… _It's just…_"

It's just what, Jun Suzuki? What were you trying to say? Left in the dark like this, I could only think it would be something hateful with highlighted resentment and insult sprinkles. The way she fidgeted around and the way she averted her eyes from my (panicked) gaze before that though didn't fit well with my range of conclusions. I could only ponder.

Gah, I really shouldn't be thinking about that right now. I shook my head, bringing me back to the present. Intense sunlight covered the Western Osaka District and the shade from the trees on the way home was sporadic at best. If I kept marching on like this, I felt like I would collapse… but I was quite ready to have some of this ice cream I had just bought – hopefully it didn't melt yet.

Not wanting to suffer from heat stroke, I took a break and took refuge under a nearby tree. Damn it, Ritsu. You're going to have to buy the ice cream next time, you hear! On top of that, you owe me some money now! Ungh… Then, I had to run into that bushy-haired girl at the store too. Now I'll…

"Satoshi-kun?"

What's this? A voice from heaven? Such soft-spoken words… it has to be…

"Ui-chan!"

"That's right." Ui said with a pleasant smile. The girl had brought a sort of parasol and was protected from the scathing sunlight. Thus, she was comfortably cool out on the streets while I was on the verge of collapse.

This girl was Ui Hirasawa, the little sister of a band mate of my sister Ritsu. Thoroughly kind and vibrantly pleasant, I have seen her as an angel since the day we met. Looking at it that way, there was a slight chance I might have already died and actually _was_ seeing an angel. Whatever it is, seeing Ui never fails to delight me*!

"What brings you out here today, Satoshi-kun?" Ui then asked, turning to me, "It's awfully hot out, you know."

"Ah, I was just running an errand for my sister." I told Ui. I then raised up the grocery bag in my hand. "My sister had been itching for some strawberry ice cream for a while now, so she asked me to get some today."

"You're out on your sister's behalf." Ui concluded happily, "That makes two of us then. I just walked with my onee-chan to the bus stop. She was going to the music store downtown, you see."

"Is that so…"

"Yeah." Ui nodded, "Anyways, would you like to stop by our house for a while? It's really close by and it's along the way."

"No, no. I'm fine." I refused politely, "It's just a few more blocks down the road… a dozen or two…"

"Your ice cream might melt." Ui then added, "You can store it in the freezer for a while… oh! And I bought some watermelon yesterday, I was planning to open one up today – why don't you have some with me?"

Watermelon with Ui? Was I really still alive? This wasn't an opportunity I could pass up on. I could really use some watermelon, and this ice cream tub was starting to get slightly warm. It's a win-win situation! Ritsu can wait a little while.

"Why not?" I said, accepting Ui's offer, "Watermelon is best shared with friends, right?"

"Precisely!" Ui said excitedly, "Let's go!"

The two of us walked to her house which was only roughly a block away. Ui poured me a cool glass of water then asked me to leave the ice cream and the watermelon to her. I thanked her for her help then watched as she did her magic in the kitchen.

Truly, this girl was the exact opposite of that bushy-haired devil, Jun. Francis had told me before that Jun was more or less on the lazy side and was the type who would turn standard-issue housework into safety hazards. Ui on the other hand was the master of the home. Man, add her intoxicatingly cute personality and she'd be the perfect wife. My imagination ran wild… well, not that wild. You know what I mean.

Whatever. Summertime is a time of romance. Maybe this summer, I would be able to ask this angel out. Yeah, that definitely sounds nice. Having watermelon with her today may be the first step towards that! Damn, I'm excited.

As I was thinking about this, Ui came to the table with a plate of sliced watermelon and we sat together to eat.

"Thank you for the food!"

The watermelon hit the spot without question. All my tiredness and fatigue melted away with its cool sweetness.

"Do you like it, Satoshi-kun?"

"I do! I wonder where I would have ended up if you didn't come along."

"Oh, you're too kind." Ui blushed, "I just offered you some watermelon, you know."

Direct hit! Uwah, my heart took a direct hit… she's so cute! I'll remember this day for the rest of my life!

"By the way, Satoshi-kun." Ui then said, "I have some friends coming over in a while."

"You mean Azusa?" I asked

"Yes, she's coming here too." Ui confirmed happily, "She said she wanted some watermelon too, it seemed."

Oh… so this watermelon wasn't just for me then. Well... I guess I shouldn't have expected too much. No worries! This won't hold me back! I'll get closer to Ui this summer and… wait… she said friends, as in plural, right?

"Mhm." Ui hummed, "Jun-chan is coming over too."

A sudden chill ran up my spine upon the mention of her name. What I thought would have been a pleasant encounter between Ui and I may have very well turned into a life or death situation!

"I… is that so?" I said hesitantly, "Oh! Look at the time, haha. I really think I ought to go."

"Already?" Ui asked, noticeably disappointed, "You only just got here… I know you already know Azusa, but I was hoping to introduce you to Jun-chan too. She's a nice person and…"

No way in hell! Countermeasures, now!

"That'd be nice and all, but I _was_ running an errand for my sister." I said, "She might get cranky if I take too long. Thank you for the watermelon!"

I gave her a thankful bow then had her show me to the door. I walked out, putting on as pleasant a façade as I could muster then darted off once I was out of sight. The sunlight wasn't as intense as it had been earlier on, so I managed to reach the gates of our house without too much problem. However…

"I forgot the ice cream…"

…

Later, at the Hirasawa household.

"Azusa, Jun!" Ui greeted as her two friends appeared before her at the door, "Please, do come in."

"Sorry for the intrusion!" The two of them said before walking into the house.

"I'm sorry if Jun and I decided to come all of the sudden." Azusa apologized, "It's summer after all, and we wouldn't pass up a chance to eat watermelon with you for the world!"

"It's no problem at all, you two!" Ui said happily, "Like they say… _watermelon is best shared with friends… right_?"

"Damn straight! Whoever said that is a smart person." Jun laughed, "Watermelon and friends in the summer always go together!"

Ui led the two into the kitchen where the watermelon plate sat prepared for them.

"You prepared the watermelon ahead for us?" Azusa asked, "You're thoughtful as always, Ui."

"Actually," Ui said, "I had a guest earlier, so I cut up some watermelon for him and myself."

"Him?" Jun asked with intrigue

"Yeah." Ui nodded then smiled, "Satoshi-kun was here not too long ago."

Hearing Satoshi's name, Jun's interest quickly waned.

"Aww, why did he go?" Azusa asked, "There's a lot of watermelon to go around… and it's not often we get to see him."

"He left saying that Ritsu-senpai wanted her ice cream that instant." Ui explained, "But maybe he left when I said you two were coming over too."

"Hmph…" Jun huffed, clearly not happy with the topic of conversation. Ui noticed Jun's reaction to all of this easily enough then tried to put two and two together.

'_It has to be… lover's quarrel!_'

"Don't worry, Jun-chan!" Ui said with stars in her eyes, "It will be alright!"

"What will?" Jun asked, puzzled by Ui's determination

"You'll see!"

**To Be Continued**

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><p><strong>Extra Notes<strong>

**seeing Ui never fails to delight me* - **In the Full Court Press! series, Ui is Satoshi's love interest.**  
><strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes:** Sorry for the long delay in chapter updates lately! I've only recently gotten back from a trip so my storyboarding schedule and whatnot got delayed. I'm also busy writing a PMMM fic (which is now my primary story, succeeding the recently finished FCP!) but I'll try to keep this going! Thank you for your patience, and here is Chapter 3!

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><p><strong>First Impressions<strong>

**Chapter 3**

"Satoshiiii~ ungh…"

It was 4PM Japanese standard time at the Tainaka Household. On the sofa sat my sister Ritsu who was sweating like crazy with a horrified expression on her face. If it weren't for the heavy-duty electric fan she had set up at point blank, I'm sure she would have turned into a puddle – a horrified puddle. Do puddles even have faces… or wear headbands, for that matter?

"Gahhh~!"

Damnit, stop digressing, Satoshi. Hah~ It can't be helped. Whether or not she would become a puddle with a horrified face, I was the one at fault. Kinda. Rather than come home with the tub of strawberry ice cream she had been craving for since freaking last year or whatever, I came home saying they had run out. Naturally, since she saw me holding on to the bag of the convenience store, still slightly wet at the bottom from the ice cream tub that was there, she didn't buy it. I should have said I passed by New York and was mugged. That would have worked well… However, I don't exactly feel good seeing my sister on the verge of a heatstroke.

"Let me go get you some iced water, sis."

She turned to me with her dry lips and nodded. I then went on to get some water and ice. I returned and I sat down before her, waiting for her to finish her drink. A refreshed sigh was followed by an inquisitive stare.

"Satoshi-kun." She said, many times more calmer than before, "Explanation please?"

Scratching my face, I obliged. It wouldn't hurt to let her in on what actually happened. I told her about the convenience store then about my *ahem* meeting with Ui. I tried to mention that bushy-haired devil as rarely as possible without tweaking the story (too much). At the end though, Jun was the topic my sister wanted to talk about.

"Don't tell me you've got some problems with that girl." Ritsu said, folding her arms inquisitively, "She's your friend's sister – and possibly a potential member of the Light Music Club to boot!"

Darn she's sharp! Scratching my face, I adamantly denied her claim.

"Nah, nah. We just aren't really close, that's all."

Not really close was an understatement – but I didn't need to point that out now, did I?

"Is that all, huh…" Ritsu hummed, "Then what's stopping you from going back to Ui's house and asking for the tub of ice cream? It shouldn't be too embarrassing."

"Yeah, Jun and I are cool!" I said, standing up from my chair, "So, I'll be going there right now!"

"Oh? Good to know!"

"That's right!" I continued proudly, "Just you wait sis. We'll have that strawberry ice cream soon enough!"

Nodding off, I went out of the house then closed the door behind me. Right there and then, those words floated around in my head – words I would have shouted out loud had I not been in a sleepy residential district. 'Jun and I are cool?' You dumbass!

Throwing my hands into my pockets, I walked cautiously back towards the Hirasawa household. Luckily, clouds had rolled over the sky, meaning I probably won't suffer a heatstroke as quickly. The only thing that really worried me now was what I would do the moment I arrive.

'_Oh Ui-chan, leavest that bush-haired demon behind and lend me thine ear as I tell thee how much I lovest thou_!'

Nah… that wouldn't work at all – it'd be way too corny. Though Ui does seem to like my corny jokes whenever I say them… Wait! I'm not going there for Ui – I'm there to get my ice cream back. Talking with Ui wouldn't be that much of a problem. The person I should be concerned about is that Jun.

Front door is out of the question. I could text Ui and ask her to hand me the ice cream outside – sadly, I don't have her number. That leaves me with one option – sneaking in. Tactical Espionage Action (TEA) time, baby.

I arrived at the front gates of the Hirasawa household then made a run for the sides. Hugging the wall and crouched, I inched through the side pathway hidden from the windows above. If I pressed my ear against the wall, I could hear the muffled sounds of Ui, Jun and Azusa chatting happily amongst themselves. Perfect – they were distracted. Now's my chance.

Still crouched like that, I found my way to the back entrance. This was the way Ui had showed me in a while ago so I knew this entrance would be unlocked. Damn… I'm such a stalker. I swear, Ui, I'll never break into your house again. Just this once. Shaking my head I opened the door then stepped inside.

The girls were in the dining room, so I thought I'd have free reign over the kitchen – I'd just open the fridge, get the ice cream and get the fuck out. It was at that time though that I remembered one sad particularity – the kitchen of the Hirasawa household was connected to the dining room. Luckily for me, the girls weren't going to be staying for long.

"I have to be going soon." Azusa said, thanking Ui for the watermelon. She headed for the door and was promptly followed by Jun and Ui. Go time! I dashed for the fridge, took my ice cream and retreated back into the corridor. Hah, would you look at that – it actually worked. No alerts! Thank you, Hideo Kojima.

I was just about to head back out of the house when I realized that Jun had chosen to stay behind. Ui and Jun then went back to the dining room and sat together. Curious, peered into the dining room and was surprised. Ui wore a serious face and Jun seemed… disheartened.

"What's this about, Jun-chan?" Ui asked

"I think you already know." Jun sighed, "That punk."

'That punk'! Why I oughta beat the crap out of her – that bushy-haired devil…

"I think we've been mad at each other for too long." Jun then said, "Plus, for a stupid reason too."

Stupid reason…? Looking back at it now, I don't really remember why Jun and I ended up this way all too clearly. All I can remember was…

"It was in our last year in Elementary, the first year my brother Francis and I transferred from Canada…" Jun continued in an embarrassed tone, "Satoshi came forward to introduce himself to me and my brother. We barely spoke Japanese then. I thought it was kind of him."

She thought I was kind? Seriously?

"The thing is…" Jun sniffed, her hands now clenched into fists, "Trying to be funny, he made a joke about my hair. He said my hair was very bushy… So the other kids started teasing me. I got mad at him because of that, and he got mad at me. All the teasing was forgotten come Junior High and all, but here we are, still ready to rip each other's throats out."

That's...

"What do you want to do about it?" Ui asked.

"I…"

Just as Jun was about to speak, I realized that the sides of the ice cream tub I was holding on was starting to water up. I nearly let go of it, catching it halfway before it could fall. That however didn't stop me from letting out an audible "Oh shi-"

"Who's there?" A startled Ui cried. Evacuate, now!

Getting up from my entrenchment, I made a run for the back entrance. However, that was where the two girls had seen Azusa off. It was now locked and I had no free hand to unlock it – the ice cream tub was now too slippery to hold with just one hand, not to mention fucking cold. Desperate, I lifted up my knee and rested the tub on it while one of my hands clawed at the lock. I eventually got it open, however…

"Satoshi-kun?" Ui asked, puzzled to see me in such a pose. I must have looked like a thief or a pervert – or both.

"I… I can explain! J… just gimme a minute and…"

"You were listening in on us, weren't you?" Jun then grumbled, her eyes now filled with anger. I avoided her eyes, but that only answered her question for her. "Get out of my sight, this instant!"

"Jun…"

"GET OUT!"

"FINE!" I shouted back, marching out of the back entrance. Jun then slammed the door behind me.

"Jun-chan…" Ui said calmly, "He did want to talk… And what about that thing we were talking about...?"

"Bah, forget it. Let him rot!"

I heard this exchange weakly as I walked out with the ice cream. Pyrrhic victory much… I felt worse now than the way I did before coming here. Jun seemed like she wanted to make up, but the way she roared at me… I should feel angry, I thought. However, all I felt now was confusion.

Maybe it's time to call the cavalry – I'll talk to Ritsu about this. For real this time.

**To Be Continued**


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: **I've been gone a while, I know, but I've been busy with schoolwork and the other fanfics of mine. Sorry for the delay, but I'll try to finish up this story.

...

"Satoshi-kun, you're an idiot."

Ritsu's words rang out and stabbed me straight in the heart. I had just finished telling her the situation I had gotten into and my sister immediately said that. I sorta hoped she'd take my side in this or be more subtle, but she said it straight out. Hearing it come from my lazy sister like that made me feel a little bitter –maybe because it was true.

Remembering Jun's livid face as she screamed at me, I really fet like I was an idiot.

"So what do you plan to do about it, kid?" Ritsu asked, folding her arms as she gave me a sharp stare. She must have seen me shaken up. "You can't go around hurting girls like that."

"I know..." I sighed, "But what the hell do you do after something like this happens? Plus… why should this matter to me so much? She hated me then. She hates me now. Nothing's changed."

"But do you really want things to stay the way they are?" Ritsu then asked.

Her question silenced me and I was at a loss for words. I opened my mouth, thinking I'd just brush it off like I always do. Instead, I gave a weak but honest reply.

"I don't."

I then turned away to avoid Ritsu's searching eyes. I got more embarrassed when I realized what I said.

"You know what, kid." Ritsu smirked, "I don't think Ui-chan's number one on your list."

"Eh? What was that?"

"Nothing." Ritsu craftily hid her words. "Reflect on your actions, Satoshi-kun. Find a way to make things right."

Easier said than done, sis. Easier said than done.

…

**First Impressions**

**Chapter 4**

…

In my room at the second floor of the Tainaka household, I lay down on my bed in silence that evening. The lights were turned off but the curtains were open so the moonlight flowed in. The back of my hand was planted onto my forehead as I recalled that disastrous scene at the Hirasawa household earlier. It was worrying me more than I should.

It's not because that incident made Jun much madder at me than before. I was afraid that Ui-chan would like me less after storming out like that. I also didn't want her to worry about things like that. Judging by what those girls were talking about, Ui was worried about it.

How the hell did it end up like this?

Elementary school… elementary school…

Looking back, I still sorta remember that first time I met the Suzukis in elementary school. I was really young then and it wasn't often that I could get to meet foreigners. I even approached the siblings and offered to teach them Japanese. Heh, those were good times, I guess. Why else would I still be friends with Jun's brother?

However… that time I started joking about Jun's hair… I…

My cheeks suddenly started to flush.

When I joked around about her bushy hair, I did it because… because I thought she was cute. I thought that Jun Suzuki was cute. I teased her about her hair to try and shake those thoughts off, but look where that got me.

To be perfectly honest, though, Jun Suzuki is still cute now. She and I just never got along after that time. What a shame.

If she were nicer like Ui-chan, then maybe…

It was at this time that my cellphone buzzed. I reached for the phone lying atop the nightstand and checked it. There was a text message from Ui.

Now, what could this be about?

**To Be Continued**


	5. Chapter 5

**First Impressions**

**Chapter 5**

**...**

It was late evening at the nearby park. The moon peeked out from behind the cloudy night sky and painted the entire town in a wan and mellow light. The trees of the park swayed gently in the wind and the smell of flowers wafted in the air.

This was the setting in which I was supposed to meet Ui Hirasawa, the girl I had been dreaming off since the day I met her. Ui and I knew each other through our sisters and we got along well when we actually finally met. The two of us are friends, though I do wish that we could become something more.

That's why my heart was racing this evening. A multitude of many small questions pestered my mind. Did I dress up well enough? Does by breath smell? Stuff like that.

What exactly did Ui-chan want with me this late? Also... why did she want to talk to me after that ruckus I caused at her house. Did she want to berate me – give me a piece of her mind?

I'm ready for that, if that's the case. I'm the one at fault, after all.

As I was thinking this, I saw Ui-chan come by the park as she said she would. She too was dressed up rather nicely.

"Good evening, Satoshi-kun." Ui-chan wore her bright, warm smile. "Thanks for coming here on such short notice."

Ah, Ui-chan... she's much more pleasant and positive tonight than I thought she would be. This is Ui Hirasawa we're talking about, here – the kindest girl in the world. Even if she were mad at me about a while ago, she would only smile.

Thinking about it that way... I didn't know what she thought of me. I didn't know what she wanted...

"Satoshi-kun." Ui then said purposefully. "There's something I want to talk to you about."

Here it goes...

"Go on." I replied, trying my best to keep my voice from shaking.

Ui's eyes then turned to mine. She asked me with an earnest voice.

"Do you like me?"

What was this? My heart skipped a beat as she asked that question... but it didn't feel right. This was what I always wanted, right? Why didn't it feel right?

"I do." I managed to say, "I do like you, Ui-chan."

"I had a feeling." Ui blushed a little bit but quickly calmed down. "I noticed that for quite some time now, Satoshi-kun."

Did she...? Well... I never really was good at hiding that fact from her, or from anybody for that matter. Now, the cat was out of the bag.

"I'm happy to hear this, Satoshi-kun, and I recognize your feelings." Ui spoke with a smile, "However, I cannot accept your feelings."

"S-sorry?" My heart was frightened now. I felt like I wanted to hide.

"There's someone else that I like, you see." Ui said resolutely, "There's someone who I want to take care of and to love... someone who I always want to be with. This is why I cannot accept your feelings."

She then gave me a bow. "I apologize."

"Y-you don't have to." Even though my heart was frightened, Ui's words didn't seem to hurt me as much as I thought they would. Was this because of Ui's gentle nature? No... there was something more.

"Also..." Ui then added, "I think that it's not _me_ that you truly like, Satoshi-kun. You are in love with someone else."

I couldn't reply to that. My body felt stiff, but I could deny that if I wanted to.

I didn't deny. I just stayed silent. In my mind, I could recall the face of Jun Suzuki clearly. It wasn't the angry and cold Jun that I saw now, but the Jun that I first saw long ago – a Jun that was happy.

"I thought so." Ui said with satisfaction. She read my silence as a definite 'yes'. "My, you and Jun-chan are more alike than I thought!"

"O-oy...!" I protested, but stopped halfway. Ui already knew the truth, so there was no point in denying it.

"You know, Satoshi-kun, this matter has been bothering Jun-chan for the longest time." Ui continued to speak, "I remember when I first met her at our first day of school at Sakura-gakou. She was really timid and was especially conscious about her hair."

Ui's tone then grew worried.

"Her eyes were shifting about a lot, checking to see if anyone was lookin at her strangely. When I came by to approach her, she was startled."

"_Y-you don't think my hair looks funny now, do you?_"

"Why would I think her hair was funny?" Ui asked to no one in particular, "I reassured her that I didn't think her hair was nothing out of the ordinary. I told her she didn't have to worry."

Ui's smile returned to her face.

"The two of us became friends and she opened up to me after that. She then told me about this boy that she said caused her to think like she did. She said that she hated this boy, but that he was always on her mind."

She then turned her eyes to me and spoke warmly.

"Lately, I figured that this boy was you."

"Is that so..." I was dumbstruck, but my tongue felt loose. "She... she has been on my mind ever since then too. I was pissed off at her, but she just stayed there in the back of my head."

"Whenever a person thinks about another that much..." Ui hummed with interest, "Then doesn't that mean that he or she is fond of this person, one way or another?"

"I guess so..." I averted her eyes. Ui-chan was reading me like an open book.

"What happened earlier today at my house may have been a little hard on the two of you, and it was unfortunate that it had to break apart like that." Ui shook her head, "However, do these feelings of yours for her still exist?"

"They do." I admitted openly, eager to let it off my chest, "I just don't know what to do."

I turned to Ui-chan and begged, "What should I do, Ui-chan?"

"That would be up to you, Satoshi-kun." Ui replied with a smile, "This is something that your hearts should resolve on your own. I just… wanted to lend a helping hand."

"I see…" I said. Resolve soon started to bud up in my heart. "You're absolutely right. This whole mess has dragged on for far too long. I started this thing – I have to end it."

"I wish you luck, Satoshi-kun." Ui-chan cheered me on, "I believe you can do it!"

"Thanks." I said, honestly appreciative for once. "I'll do my best."

Just as we were about to part, though, a question popped out in my mind.

"So Ui-chan… who is this person that you said you wanted to take care of?"

This time, I caught Ui-chan off guard and she blushed red. She fidgeted for a bit but soon gave her reply.

"Onee-chan."

"… eh?"

…

In her room at the Suzuki household, Jun lay down on her bed with her arms spread out. She stared straight up at the ceiling light and recalled the events of earlier that day.

"Damn it… that bastard…"

Her open hands clenched into fists for a moment but soon relieved their pressure before long. Jun turned her head to the side to her nightstand where a small picture frame stood. The frame held a class picture from Middle School.

It was a goofy picture shot where everyone was free to do what they want – within reason, that is. Everyone took on poses as flamboyant as they could think of. Jun, however, just stood straight and faced the camera as if it were a normal picture.

She then noticed another small detail. From the other end of the picture, Satoshi poked his head from behind their posing classmates and was stealing a glance at Jun.

"You've been making fun of me all this time, haven't you, Satoshi-kun?" Jun took the frame and set it down onto her nightstand. She didn't want to see it. "I'll just be your goddamned 'bushy haired devil' till the end."

She then turned away and embraced her pillow.

"Why…?"

**To Be Continued**


	6. Chapter 6

**First Impressions**

**Finale**

...

It was nearly midnight in the Western Osaka District and the suburban area was silent. Despite this silence, Jun Suzuki stirred in her bed. She had laid there for more than an hour now, but she couldn't get herself to sleep.

"Damn it..." she mumbled

Countless thoughts filled her mind that night, keeping her from drifting into sleep. She could see the face of that boy that she hated so very, very much. Frustration welled up deep within her heart and she held a pillow tightly in her arms. Her eyes were open, watching the blackness of her darkened room.

Jun didn't want to close her eyes. If she closed her eyes, she would only see him again – that person she hated so much. The more she didn't want to think about him, though, the more she thought about him. Thinking about that, she realized how tightly she was hugging that pillow of hers.

She hugged that pillow so tightly that it was almost as if she was squeezing the life out of it with sheer strength. However, it just showed her how much she didn't want to let go of it. This made her even more frustrated. Thus, the vicious cycle of her insomnia continued.

As Jun wrestled with her thoughts, she heard a tapping sound coming from her window. It sounded like something struck the glass. Skeptically, Jun picked herself up from her bed and made her way to the window. She put aside the curtains that covered it and let the moonlight flood her room.

"… nothing?"

Just as Jun was about to throw herself back on her bed, another tapping sound came from the window.

"What is it now?"

Jun returned to the window and slid it to the side. It was at this time that a pebble sailed into her room through the opening.

"Whoa! What the hell?" Jun poked her head out of her window and gave a suppressed cuss. "What was that for?"

The girl then gasped as she saw a young man dressed well standing outside at her house's front yard. It was that same young man who she hated so much.

Jun wanted to shout at him and shoo him off her family's property, but no sharp words would come to her mouth. Instead, she watched this boy standing there at the front yard.

Satoshi was panting heavily, looking absolutely wild. He looked like he had run there from somewhere far away. He was well dressed, but his shirt was unkempt and his hair was messy from running. He was rushing to get here – he came to their house in a hurry. Why did he do that?

Suddenly, the sound of a dull thud reached Jun's ears. The rock that Satoshi had tossed into the room had sailed through and knocked the picture frame off Jun's nightstand. The picture frame now lay face down on the floor.

Jun pursed her lips and ignored the picture frame. She then poked her head out of her window again with a disdainful look.

"What the hell do you want?" Jun asked coldly, as per usual. "If you were looking for my brother, then his room is…"

"No…" Satoshi cut her off and shook his head, panting as he fought to catch his breath, "You… I wanted to talk to you, Jun-chan."

"Me…?"

Was this guy joking? When Jun looked Satoshi in the eyes, though, he didn't seem to be joking. He didn't give even the faintest hints of doubt. He really wanted to talk to her. Jun's heart raced at the thought, but she kept her cool.

"What the hell do you want to talk about?"

"Apologize…" Satoshi said in between a breath, "I… I wanted to apologize to you."

"That's…" Jun was left speechless. She then turned to the fallen picture frame that lay on her floor, then back to Satoshi. "Tch… Just wait down there – don't you even think about leaving!"

Jun closed her window, picked up the picture frame and returned it to her nightstand. She caught a glimpse of that photograph again and the words she had spoken were deftly warped in her mind.

'_Don't leave me._'

Was that what she really meant? Her face grew red as blood rushed to her cheeks.

"C'mon, keep it together…" Jun patted her face as she headed out of her room then out of the house. She opened the front door and saw Satoshi there waiting for her. Her heart beat even faster now as they stood there face to face.

"You look like shit." Jun said, looking at Satoshi from head to toe, "What the hell happened to you?"

"It's a long story." Satoshi replied, wiping the sweat on his brow as he spoke. "Ui-chan… she told me to be honest with myself and what I truly feel. That's why I'm here to apologize."

"I s-see…" Jun turned away from Satoshi's eyes. She couldn't look straight back at him without being embarrassed now.

"What I said back then in elementary… and everything I've said afterwards… those words hurt you, didn't they?" Satoshi now spoke with growing resolve, "I didn't mean to hurt you, Jun-chan."

"Then, about this 'bushy-haired devil' thing…" Jun asked, "Why did you keep calling me that?"

"I didn't want to admit that I was wrong…" Satoshi spoke honestly, "I was the jerk and I was the one demanding to be right… I really dug myself into a hole there, huh?"

'_No kidding_.' Jun thought. All these years, the two of them had been at odds because of that.

"But if I were to make one thing clear…" Satoshi started to blush, "That bushy-haired thing… I didn't say that to insult you or anything. I actually thought that you looked cute."

"C-cute!?" Jun gasped.

"Yeah…" Satoshi smiled, "Back then, you would smile so happily and we got along so well. When you smiled like that, I thought you were cute. It's why… it's why I want to stop making you frown. I want to see your smile again!"

"S-Satoshi-kun…" Jun's defenses were breached.

"You know, Jun-chan..." Satoshi continued, "My sister Ritsu told me this once: the more you think about a person, the more you care about him or her. If you truly disliked the person, then it'd be easy to erase them from your thoughts. If you really didn't care about them, they would just disappear into nothing, no?"

Jun's heart skipped a beat. She was thinking the exact same thing.

"So Jun-chan…" Satoshi took a deep breath. "I want to let my bare feelings out, right here and now."

The boy put his hand on his chest and looked at Jun straight in the eyes,

"I like you Jun-chan! I liked you then, and I like you now!"

Jun's face was flushed red again. She was happy to hear these words from this boy – the boy that frustrated her so much. She too remembered those good days when they were on good terms. She too wanted to return to those good time, but things were different now.

"Satoshi-kun…" Jun then gave her reply, "You really think I'd give in to a confession like that after all the crap you put me through?"

"… huh?" Satoshi was shocked.

"No, no…" Jun then wore a crafty grin, "You're going to have to make up for every single day before that can happen. You're going to have to make up for the time we've lost – and that'll take some work and time."

"So… it's impossible then?" Satoshi looked devastated.

"I didn't say that." Jun shook her head. "It's not impossible."

She then wore a bright smile – one that she had not shown Satoshi since the first day they met. "After all, Satoshi-kun… I like you too."

...

**The End**


End file.
